Homecoming
by Smarty Cat
Summary: Oneshot2xH warm fuzziness “Hilde, it’s okay to be weak in front of me. I’m not going to take advantage of it... Or, well...if I do, it’ll be in a good way.”


**Please note: As of November 2011, ALL NEW FICS unrelated to previously posted works will be posted under the name Inverse Calico. A link is on my author profile.**

This fic would not have been possible without my friendly neighborhood Baskin-Robbins and Dip'n Dots keeping my sweet tooth satisfied. It's also possible that the sugar I consumed because of those fine establishments is completely to blame for the squirrels. I honestly have no idea where they came from, but once they showed up they refused to leave.

**Disclaimer:** Gundam Wing is owned by Sunrise and Sotsu Agency and distributed in America exclusively under license by Bandai Entertainment. I own nothing remotely related to Gundam Wing except for merchandise from Amazon and Suncoast. The characters are not mine, but the situation is.

**Completed:** May 30, 2002

_For Crystaltear_

_Happy Belated Birthday!_

**Homecoming**

by

**Smarty Cat**

Raspberries.

Duo Maxwell's eyes fluttered open under bright fluorescent lights. The wild fruity scent of raspberries tantalized his nostrils as he blinked in protest at the harsh, unwelcome light. An attempt to stretch the kinks out of his muscles was quickly halted by the realization that something was pinning his right side and severely restricting his movement. The braided boy froze and vaguely wondered why his usual panicked reaction to any kind of restraint was being so delayed. He slowly turned his head to the right, and his face softened immediately at the sight that greeted him.

An elfin German girl leaned heavily against his side with her head pillowed on his shoulder. Raspberry scented silken black strands fell softly across her face, free from their usual gelled spikes. She looked so innocent and peaceful sleeping like that. Duo smiled as his gaze trailed over the pert, upturned nose and stubborn chin. He laughed softly. The strong-willed pixie had played a vicious game of rock paper scissors for her prize window seat. Hilde only looked harmless. There was a tiger lurking beneath that kittenish exterior.

Violet eyes flashed with sudden worry, and his scrutiny intensified. Even after two and a half weeks, the little idiot was not completely healed from that reckless, terrifying stunt she pulled on Libra. She had been very lucky to escape the incident with just a dislocated right shoulder, cut arm, head wound, and cracked ribs. Her clothing was baggy, but the vague outline of the bandages underneath could still be seen.

An artificial female voice crackled pleasantly over the intercom that the shuttle was preparing to dock on L2.

One calloused hand reached across Duo's body to stroke tenderly down the side of the sleeping German girl's face. When the light caress failed to disturb her, Duo sighed softly and gently shook her shoulder. Hilde made a small complaining noise and turned her face up to his blindly. Brilliant sky blue eyes slowly opened and focused on his face. Duo could not prevent the goofily affectionate expression that spread across his face. She might not realize it, but she was absolutely adorable.

Hilde smiled back faintly, her eyes still heavy with sleep. After one last nuzzle against his shoulder, she sat up and smothered a yawn before murmuring Duo's name questioningly.

"It's time to land," he answered, quickly checking her seatbelt.

"I can fix it myself!"

Hilde batted his hands away and adjusted the nylon strap around her waist. She glared at the smirking boy beside her and snorted disdainfully, turning her face away from him and sticking her nose in the air.

"Aw, come on, Hilde! Don't be like that!"

She huffed and folded her arms, refusing to look at Duo though her lips twitched with a faint grin. The self-proclaimed God of Death stuck out his tongue, crossed his eyes, and waggled his fingers in his ears to no avail. Hilde closed her eyes and serenely folded her hands in her lap, ignoring both her companion and the passengers gawking at him, as the shuttle entered L2's shuttle port. She sat calmly while all the other passengers filed off and Duo turned his facial contortion act to delighting the few children on the flight, but her thin shoulders shook with laughter beneath her purple sweater.

"Hilde, come on. Time to go."

The German girl looked up into her companion's soft violet eyes and blushed for reasons she did not quite understand. Her fingers fumbled clumsily when she unbuckled her seatbelt, but when she put them in Duo's hands, it seemed that all of their dexterity returned. He pulled her to her feet gently and started to help her down the aisle. Hilde lightly pushed him away and began to make her slow, stiff way to the exit. The flight attendant shot Duo a sympathetic smile. He grinned and rolled his eyes while flinging his arms in the air in a dramatically hopeless gesture. Hilde was stubborn, and she had her pride to think of. Duo respected that, but he would always make sure to be there when she needed him.

Like at the stairs.

They had made if off the shuttle, across the suspended platform, and through the lobby. The pace was nerve-wrackingly slow, but Hilde had retained her independence. However, they both knew that there was no way she could make it down the stairs unaided.

Hilde stopped at the top, on hand lightly holding her side. It had been one of the toughest things she had ever done just to make it this far. And now she had to make it down THAT?! She bit her lip and closed her eyes against the sudden wave of nauseous vertigo. She had been a soldier damn it! She should not be so weak!

"You okay?"

She glanced up at Duo. He was standing nonchalantly at her side with both hands behind his head, obviously worried about her but not wanting to show it.

How touching. Now if he would just stop treating her like she was going to break.

"I'm fine. My muscles are a little stiff, that's all."

"Uh huh. It's a long walk home, you know," he said casually while staring up at the artificial sky.

The girl's eyes narrowed. She knew exactly how long a walk it was, and she was dreading every minute of it, but she would never admit that to Duo. She gritted her teeth, squared her shoulders, and took a few steps forward. She was almost to the first step when a gentle hand on her shoulder restrained her. Hilde turned her face up to Duo's solemn violet gaze, her expression fading from determination into confusion.

He smiled at her sadly. "You're going to hurt yourself, and I can't let you do that."

Her sky blue eyes widened, and she jerked away from his hand, but he followed her. This time the warm, rough skin of his hands cupped her face, forcing her to meet his earnest, searching stare.

"Hilde, it's okay to be weak in front of me. I'm not going to take advantage of it... Or, well...if I do, it'll be in a good way."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That you'll like it when I take advantage of you," he replied smartly, sweeping her petite form up in his arms.

Hilde squeaked and clung to his shoulders. "Duo! What are you doing? Put me down!"

The young man shook his head and proceeded to walk calmly down the stairs, carefully cradling his precious cargo. Hilde blushed furiously and closed her eyes, partly to avoid noticing her proximity to her extremely attractive friend and partly so she would not see the amused, knowing looks on other people's faces.

The gentle bobbing motion changed to smooth rocking when Duo reached the street. Hilde cracked open one eye to see familiar laughing violet eyes only a few inches away from her own. She jerked back, quickly releasing her death grip on his neck. Duo blinked, confused, and pulled her body closer to his. He became even more concerned when Hilde turned her face away.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

She whirled on him, cheeks a vibrant pink and eyes blazing with anger and...something else. "I can't believe you're doing this! People are staring!"

The young man laughed nervously at the bundle of agitated, potentially violent female in his arms. He had hurt her pride, and he had to fix that. "Oh, so what if they're into voyeurism? Let em stare! They're just jealous because we're young, attractive, and obviously devoted to one another."

Hilde froze in his arms, staring up at him wide-eyed. He did not just say that! He couldn't have! Duo thought she was pretty? And he publicly admitted to caring about her? Hell, did he just day he was "devoted" to her?! The concussion must have been worse than the doctors realized because she was obviously imagining things.

Duo practically beamed down into her startled face. Hilde had an adorable deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on her face. The whole situation was too priceless to not to shamelessly use to his benefit. He knew a tactical advantage when he saw one and moved his face closer to hers.

Hilde stopped breathing, her heart pounding in her ribcage. He was so close and so warm, and she was finding it harder and harder to ignore the lean strength in the body holding her. Duo's breath mingled with hers, gently washing over the sensitive skin of her face, but he came closer still, lightly brushing his nose against her cheek.

"Will you stop fighting this and let me help you?" he whispered silkily, warm breath delicately fanning the shell of her ear.

Hilde closed her eyes tightly against the wonderful sensations he created, trying vainly to block out his warmth, the shifting of his muscles, and his delightfully male scent. She took a deep, ragged breath and made her decision. Her pride could be damned and good riddance if it kept her in his arms a little longer.

"Fine, but I want ice cream."

Duo laughed and kissed her cheek affectionately. "You got it, babe!"

After several minutes of steady walking, the young man took a short detour that led into a vibrant green park. He deposited Hilde on a bench near a group of trees and continued walking up the path. Before he disappeared from her sight, he called back, "Fudge ripple cone?"

Hilde snorted. Like he even had to ask. "Make sure you get it from Carlos!"

Duo carelessly waved one hand in the air, acknowledging her pointless request, and Hilde settled herself more comfortably on the hard wooden slats. She closed her eyes and tilted her face up to bask in the artificial sunlight. Soft pink lips curled up in a small content smile, and she stretched luxuriously. The warmth was incredibly relaxing. Hilde felt all the tension ease from her body as the pain in her ribs resided to a dull, lingering ache.

A sharp chatter jerked Hilde from her light nap. A small, warm weight settled on her hip, and her eyes flew open with a sharp gasp of alarm. Startled sky blue eyes stared in disbelief before the German girl collapsed in a fit of giggles. A squirrel, small head cocked cutely to one side, perched on her leg. Small flickers of movement caught Hilde's attention, and she directed her amused gaze to the ground near her feet where three other small, bushy tailed rodents stared up at her curiously.

She laughed delightedly and straightened up on the bench, her right hand gently easing the squirrel on her hip away before digging in her pocket. Her hand reemerged, triumphantly clutching a slightly squashed bag of complementary flight peanuts. The gray bundle of fur on her lap chittered excitedly and hopped from side to side, flicking that fantastically fluffy tail. Its companions hopped from the ground to her thighs as Hilde fumbled with the plastic bag.

x_x_x_x_x

Duo returned, bearing two wonderfully cold sugary confections, only to be greeted with the sight of his housemate happily feeding a group of squirrels. He froze, horror racing through his veins. The vicious little furballs had surrounded Hilde like a flock of vultures. Or, he amended as the largest snatched a nut from her tiny fingers, a group of sharks during a feeding frenzy.

Hilde was injured and vulnerable. He had to get her away from those savage beasts which had no doubt been attracted by the lingering scent of blood. But...he really did not want to go anywhere near them.

The braided boy swallowed nervously as his protective instincts warred with his memory-driven fear. His mind screamed that he get far away from the furry abominations as quickly as possible while his heart demanded that he not leave Hilde behind to their nonexistent mercy.

A cold, sticky trail running down his right hand broke Duo out of his daze. Well, that settled it. Hilde's ice cream was melting. He would have to go in.

"If you're quite finished charming the wildlife..."

Hilde looked up at her friend with an eager smile. Her smile faltered as she noticed his tight-lipped grin and slightly manic eyes.

"Duo, is something wrong?"

"Yes, your ice cream is melting! Now get over here, and we'll take a nice stroll while we eat."

The puzzled girl regarded her companion warily but obediently shooed the squirrels from her lap. She pulled herself to her feet and scattered the remaining peanuts on the ground. Duo smiled sunnily as he handed her an ice cream cone and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, gently propelling her forward. He glanced back over his shoulder, watching as the previously placid demonic fuzzballs tore into each other in a battle for the leftovers.

They passed through the danger zone at a rate that was torturously slow to Duo. He kept glancing over his shoulder nervously, half expecting to see a group of rabid squirrels launching themselves at his back in search of some more substantial food than the peanuts.

Hilde was happily oblivious to her companion's torment, dividing her attention equally between taking her next step forward and catching the trails of cold sugar that ran down her arm. The moment her pink tongue licked the last traces of ice cream from her fingers, she found herself in his arms once again.

She blinked at his taunt face as he broke into a light jog. "Duo, are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"Nope. Everything's great. It's a beautiful day, and we're going home."

Sky blue eyes stared wonderingly into dark violet. "Home, Duo? You've never called it that before. Do you mean it?"

His mouth twitched lightly in a wry grin before breaking into a full blindingly cheerful smile. The braided boy laughed and kissed her cheek with exaggerated affection before nuzzling her nose softly with his own.

"Hilde, wherever you are is home. Just promise me you'll never go to the park alone without your gun."


End file.
